Shoe

ABSTRACT

A shoe ( 1 ), especially an athletic shoe, with an upper ( 2 ) which has a tongue ( 4 ) in the area of the instep ( 3 ). Such a shoe ( 1 ) is improved such that it can be put on and taken off while avoiding lacing effort, nevertheless the shoe ( 1 ) being held on the foot in the best possible manner. This is achieved in that the tongue ( 4 ) and the area ( 5, 6 ) of the shoe upper ( 2 ) located laterally from the tongue ( 4 ) are connected via at least one flexible-elastic flat part ( 7, 8 ) and that the two areas ( 5, 6 ) of the shoe upper ( 2 ) which are located to the side of the tongue ( 4 ) are interconnected by at least two tightening straps ( 9, 9′, 9″, 9′″, 9″″ ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The invention relates to a shoe, especially an athletic shoe, with an upper which has a tongue in the area of the instep.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] Shoes of this type have been known for a long time in the prior art. Conventionally, they are closed/tightened by tying of a shoelace after the foot has been slipped in, so that the shoe fits securely on the foot.

[0005] Approaches are also known in which, with elimination of the shoelace, the instep area of the shoe upper is made elastic so that the shoe can be put on and taken off without lacing. The disadvantage here is that the shoe is held on the foot only conditionally and this entails the danger that, especially when used in sports, the shoe can be easily pulled off the foot unintentionally.

[0006] Published European Patent Application EP 0 283 419 A2 (and counterpart U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,497) discloses a shoe concept for an athletic shoe in which, in the instep area, there is a flat, flexible-elastic strap which is located on adjacent sections on each side of the shoe upper. In any case, it is also disadvantageous in this athletic shoe that it can be pullet off the foot unintentionally with relative ease.

[0007] Swiss Patent 48336 discloses a shoe which has several tightening straps which span the tongue area. In any case, the tongue area is made such that it cannot exert any tightening force, so that this shoe has only a limited ability to prevent the shoe from coming off unintentionally.

[0008] In the approach of published German Patent Application DE 44 47 267 A1, there are two tightening straps which are fixed by means of a Velcro® hook and loop closure, therefore do not have their own elastic tightening action. After putting on the shoe these tightening straps must be fixed via the Velcro® hook and loop closure, by which a certain effort arises in putting on the shoe, which is moreover disadvantageous.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Therefore, the object of the invention is to develop a shoe, especially an athletic shoe of the initially mentioned type, such that it can be put on and taken off while avoiding lacing effort, nevertheless the shoe being held on the foot in the best possible manner.

[0010] This object is achieved by the invention in that the tongue and the area of the shoe upper located laterally from the tongue are connected via at least one flexible-elastic flat part and that the two areas of the shoe upper located to the side of the tongue are interconnected by at least two tightening straps.

[0011] The tongue of the proposed shoe is therefore connected at least by the flexible-elastic part to the edge of the shoe upper which borders the tongue laterally, the tightening force which is necessary for secure fitting of the shoe being applied by at least two tightening straps.

[0012] According to a first development, it can be provided that the at least two tightening straps span the top of the tongue. Alternatively, however, it is also possible for the at least two tightening straps to run on the bottom of the tongue; in doing so, it can then be provided that the tightening straps are located between the bottom of the tongue and a cushion layer which cushions the tongue toward the foot.

[0013] According to one development, that a respective flexible-elastic part is provided between the tongue and the lateral areas of the shoe upper; then the tongue therefore sits centrally in the shoe upper and is connected by the edge of the shoe upper to the tongue on each side via a respective flexible-elastic part.

[0014] In terms of production engineering, especially simple manufacture is possible if the two flexible-elastic parts, according to the latter embodiment, are formed by a continuous elastic strap which is located in the areas to the side of the tongue on the shoe upper and which is securely joined to the tongue via its flat area. In doing so, it can be provided mainly that the elastic strap is connected on its top to the bottom of the tongue.

[0015] Advantageously, there is at least one guide element for the tightening straps on the tongue. Here, the guide element can be made as a loop through which the tightening strap is routed. Preferably, each tightening strap has at least one guide element of its own. It can also be provided that, for each tightening strap, there are two guide elements on the tongue which are located roughly symmetrically relative to the center axis of the shoe. There are also advantages with respect to guiding the tightening straps when a guide element for each tightening strap is assigned to each flexible-elastic part. Preferably, the guide elements are located on the top of the tongue.

[0016] Especially good seating of the shoe on the foot arises when the tightening straps essentially tighten the entire area of the tongue. Especially the arrangement of five tightening straps has proven effective for this purpose.

[0017] The tongue is preferably made of leather, imitation leather, plastic, textile material or of combinations of these materials.

[0018] The flexible-elastic parts are made of leather, imitation leather, plastic, textile material or combinations of these materials.

[0019] The material for the tightening straps is preferably rubber or also elastomers such as butane rubber, neoprene, polyurethane or silicone.

[0020] The proposed configuration of the shoe, especially of an athletic shoe, enables the shoe to be put on and taken off quickly and easily since a lacing process is not necessary. Nevertheless the shoe is very securely fitted on the foot so that the danger is low that the shoe will unintentionally come off the foot.

[0021] In the drawings one embodiment of the invention is shown.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022]FIG. 1 perspective view schematically showing an athletic shoe in accordance with the invention and

[0023]FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along line A-B in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] The athletic shoe 1 shown in FIG. 1 has an upper 2 which is made, preferably, of leather or textile material or of a combination of the two materials. In the instep area 3 of the shoe 1, there is a tongue 4 which runs in the middle in the upper 2 in the conventional manner. In the each of the two areas 5, 6 to the side of the tongue 4, there is a respective flexible-elastic part 7, 8. These two parts 7, 8 are attached both on the side of the tongue 4 and also on the adjacent lateral edge of the upper 2.

[0025] Thus, the tongue 4 and the parts 7, 8 yield a structure which completely covers the instep area 3 of the shoe 1. The elasticity of the flexible-elastic parts 7, 8 makes it possible to pull the shoe 1 onto the foot.

[0026] So that the shoe 1 is fitted securely on the foot, here, there are five tightening straps 9, 9′, 9″, 9′″, 9″″ which are attached to the upper 2 with their respective ends and span both the tongue 4 and also the flexible-elastic parts 7, 8. As can be seen, the tightening straps 9, 9′, 9″, 9′″, 9″″ essentially span the entire surface of the tongue 4.

[0027] As can furthermore be seen in FIG. 1, on the tongue 4, there are guide elements 13 in the form of guide loops. With the latter, the tightening straps 9, 9′, 9″, 9′″, 9″″ are each guided through two guide elements 13 near the edge of the tongue 4; therefore one guide element 13 for each tightening strap 9, 9′, 9″, 9′″, 9″″ is assigned to each of the two flexible-elastic parts 7, 8.

[0028]FIG. 2 shows the structure of the shoe in greater detail. Section A-B as shown in FIG. 1 is illustrated. Here, it is apparent that there is a continuous elastic strap 10 which is located in the areas 5, 6 to the side of the tongue 4 and are attached securely on the edges of the upper 2. The top 12 of the elastic strap 10 is securely joined to the flat area 11 of the tongue 4 so that the elastic strap 10 is elastic only in the lateral areas 5, 6, and thus, can form the flexible-elastic parts 7, 8.

[0029]FIG. 2 also shows that per tightening strap 9, 9′, 9″, 9′″, 9″″, there are two guide elements 13 on the tongue 4 which are located essentially symmetrically to the middle axis 14 of the shoe. 

1. Shoe which has a tongue in the area of the instep, the tongue and an area of the shoe upper located laterally from the tongue being connected via at least one flexible-elastic flat part and the areas of the shoe upper which are located to the side of the tongue being interconnected by at least two tightening straps.
 2. Shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two tightening straps span the top of the tongue.
 3. Shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two tightening straps run on the bottom of the tongue.
 4. Shoe as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least two tightening straps are located between the bottom of the tongue and a cushion layer.
 5. Shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein between the tongue and each of the lateral areas of the shoe upper there is a respective flexible-elastic part.
 6. Shoe as claimed in claim 5, wherein the at least two flexible-elastic parts are formed by a continuous elastic strap which extends between the areas to the side of the tongue on the shoe upper and which is securely joined to the tongue a flat area of the tongue.
 7. Shoe as claimed in claim 6, wherein a top surface of the elastic strap is connected to a bottom surface of the tongue.
 8. Shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein on the tongue there is at least one guide element for the tightening straps.
 9. Shoe as claimed in claim 8, wherein the guide element is a loop.
 10. Shoe as claimed in claim 8, wherein each tightening strap has at least one guide element of its own.
 11. Shoe as claimed in claim 8, wherein for each tightening strap there are two guide elements on the tongue which are located roughly symmetrically to the center axis of the shoe.
 12. Shoe as claimed in claim 8, wherein a guide element for each tightening strap is assigned to each flexible-elastic part.
 13. Shoe as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least one guide element is located on the top of the tongue.
 14. Shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tightening straps essentially tighten the entire area of the tongue.
 15. Shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least two tightening straps comprise five tightening straps.
 16. Shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tongue is made of a material from the group consisting of leather, imitation leather, plastic, textile material and combinations of these materials.
 17. Shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one flexible-elastic part is made of a material from the group consisting of leather, imitation leather, plastic, textile material and combinations of these materials.
 18. Shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tightening straps are made of rubber material.
 19. Shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tightening straps are made of a material from the group consisting of an elastomer butane rubber, neoprene, polyurethane or silicone. 